Complaints Procedure and Access to Information Service Standard
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These are the standards you can expect from Ascham Homes when you complain about our services and when you want to see information we hold about you.
More detailed advice about complaints and access to information is available in the ‘Residents Information Pack’.
Be professional, accessible and open to your views
We will:
- deal with your complaint as quickly as possible
- investigate all complaints fairly
- make it easier for you to register a complaint
- say sorry when things have gone wrong and tell you what we will do to put it right
- learn from all complaints and improve the services we offer, and
- help you to make a complaint.
Seek to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction and keep you informed
We will:
- send you an acknowledgement letter within five days of you making a complaint
- inform you in that letter of the name of the person dealing with your complaint, their phone number, and the target date by which you will get a response, and
- respond to your complaint within 28 days.
If you are not happy with the response you receive:
- you have the opportunity to complain further to the Chief Executive of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, who will review the actions we have taken,
- the corporate complaints team for the London Borough of Waltham Forest will acknowledge your request within five days and review your complaint within 28 days.
If your complaint is not sorted out to your satisfaction, the Chief Executive of the London Borough of Waltham Forest will contact the Ombudsman on your behalf, or you may do so yourself.
The Ombudsman is an independent person who will decide if you have a case. However, the Ombudsman will not investigate complaints if we have not been given the opportunity to deal with the complaint first.
Complaints about services charges are dealt with in the same manner as other complaints, but, if at the end of the process you are still unhappy, the independent Ascham Homes Dispute Resolution Scheme can consider the matter.
Your local councillor or Member of Parliament can also help you to sort out your complaint. You can get their details from the London Borough of Waltham Forest on 020 8496 3000 or through the website at www.lbwf.gov.uk
How to complain
If you have a complaint, you can write to or visit Ascham Homes, 1 Wood Street, Walthamstow, London E17 3JU and request a ‘Complaints procedure form’.
Alternatively you can phone 020 8496 4027 or Ascham Direct on 020 8496 4197, fax your request to 020 8496 4061 or send an email to: complain@aschamhomes.org.uk
The complaints form is also available online.
You can also write to or visit Ascham Homes’s Billericay and Wickford Office, 16 Morris Avenue, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2JR or phone 0845 3000 363.
The complaints procedure form is also available in Braille or large print formats or as an audiotape, available on request. Translated versions can also be provided.
To make sure that everyone is receiving fair and equal levels of service, you will also be asked to complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
Access to information
We will provide you with access to your tenancy file within 40 days of your written request. There is a £10 administration charge for this service. For further information see ‘Access to personal files policy, procedure and process note’
You have a right to see certain types of information under the Freedom of Information Act. For more information, see our ‘Freedom of Information Act policy, procedure and process note’
Requests for access to information will be dealt with within 20 days.
Performance targets
Our aims include:
- to respond to 90% of stage one complaints within 28 days in 2005/06, and 100% from 2006/07 onwards, and
- to answer 100% of member enquiries in 7 days.
We report publicly on our performance each month.
They are also available at each public board meeting (held every six weeks). Or you can phone Ascham Direct on 020 8496 4197 and ask for a copy.
Customer care
We will provide good customer care to all our customers, our staff will be friendly, polite and keen to help you, dealing with your enquiry with sensitivity and discretion.
We will:
- wear a visible identity badge
- promote and provide equality and fair treatment for everyone
- reply to all correspondence within seven working days
- provide a contact name, office and e-mail addresses, and a direct dial number in all our letters
- write in plain English
- answer your phone call within five rings, telling you who we are and asking how we may help you
forward our phone to colleagues when we are out of the office - call you back on the same day if you call before 1pm or call you back by 1pm the following day if you call after 1pm
- make sure all our publications are available in the most common community languages, and other formats such as audio tape, Braille and large print
- communicate through interpreters and British Sign Language (BSL) signers for residents who have specific needs, and
- do our best to give you information and advice about other local services that we do not provide, including services provided by the council and by other agencies.
Further, we agree to:
- provide your personal details when we pass your enquiry to a specialist, together with the details of your enquiry so, that you do not have to repeat it to another person
- keep the appointment that you have made and tell you beforehand if we have to cancel it
- carry out customer satisfaction surveys of at least 10% of our customers, and
- keep you informed of how well we are doing in delivering the service.
You can help us by:
- treating your home and surroundings and our staff with respect
- telling us about any changes in your circumstances so that we can provide you with the best possible service, and
- telling us what you think of us.
We will use customer feedback to improve our service. Please tell us if you feel that we have not met any of the service standards. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can make a formal complaint. The leaflet ‘Ascham Homes Complaints Procedure’ gives you information about making a complaint and is available through all of our outlets. Our staff will help you make a complaint if you are not able to do so.
How to contact us
How to contact us
You can access our services in a number of ways.
Telephone Ascham Direct on 020 8496 4197
The lines are open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday for a full service.
The lines are open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday for a full service.
If you live in Billericay or Wickford, you can phone Ascham Direct on 0845 3000 363 (charged at the local rate).
You can write to us at:
Ascham Homes, 1 Wood Street, Walthamstow
London E17 3JU.
Ascham Homes, 1 Wood Street, Walthamstow
London E17 3JU.
You can e-mail us at:
direct@aschamhomes.org.uk
direct@aschamhomes.org.uk
Please note that although we check this site regularly during the day, you should not use it to report urgent repairs.
You can visit us at:
Ascham Homes
1 Wood Street
Walthamstow
London E17 3JU.
Open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Ascham Homes (Billericay office)
16 Morris Avenue
Billericay
Essex CM11 2JR.
Open 9am to 11am, Tuesdays and Thursdays
16 Morris Avenue
Billericay
Essex CM11 2JR.
Open 9am to 11am, Tuesdays and Thursdays
In an emergency outside the normal hours, as mentioned above, contact the joint Ascham Homes and London Borough of Waltham Forest emergency service on:
020 8496 3000
Other useful contacts:
Waltham Forest Direct, 772-776 High Road, Leyton, London E10 6AE
Waltham Forest Direct is the London Borough of Waltham Forest Council’s contact centre. For all council services, call them on:
020 8496 3000
The Local Government Ombudsman
10th Floor, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 020 7217 4620. Fax: 020 7217 4621
Website:
www.lgo.org.uk
10th Floor, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 020 7217 4620. Fax: 020 7217 4621
Website:
www.lgo.org.uk
Leytonstone Citizens Advice Bureau
Greater London House, 547 – 551 High Road, Leytonstone,
London E11 4PB
Telephone: 020 8988 9620. Fax: 020 8558 7911
Greater London House, 547 – 551 High Road, Leytonstone,
London E11 4PB
Telephone: 020 8988 9620. Fax: 020 8558 7911
Waltham Forest Citizens Advice Bureau
167 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17 3AL
Telephone: 0870 1264 026.
Website:
www.walthamforestcab.org.uk/wcab
167 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17 3AL
Telephone: 0870 1264 026.
Website:
www.walthamforestcab.org.uk/wcab
Ascham Homes's publications
You can get copies of our service standards, information leaflets, Decent Homes programme, Tenants Compact and Residents Information Pack from:
- Ascham Homes reception at 1 Wood Street
- Waltham Forest Direct Shops, and
- Social services public reception areas
If you would like us to post a publication to you, please call Ascham Direct on 020 8496 4197.
You can download all our publications from this website.
Related Documents
These are the standards you can expect from Ascham Homes when you complain about our services and when you want to see information we hold about you. (282 KB)